Build a Hatch Garage

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I would like to fit a sprayhood to my boat, but first I would have to fabricate a hatch garage, as the marque, a Dufour Classic 30, was not designed with one of these, the hatch just sliding forward in a recess on top of the coachroof, retained at the edges by two lengths of teak, approximately 2"x 1". My reasoning is that in its current configuration there is nothing to attach the centre of the sprayhood to, and any water coming over the top would simply sluice underneath. Also, the hatch itself is not very efficient at keeping green water out. The size of the space in question is approximately 20"x 48"(i'm not near the boat to accurately measure, at the moment).
Strangely the C30's slightly bigger sister, the Classic32, does have a hatch garage, with some moulded-in anti-slip incorporating a Dufour logo.
My question is; what is the best way of going about constructing such a hatch garage - a stout piece of plywood sheathed in glass and resin, or a more aesthetically pleasing construction involving laying up GRP in a mould? In the latter case, there would surely have to be reinforcement, how would I do this, also I would like to take a mould of the built-in anti slip on the coachroof, and incorporate that in the construction, to replicate the OEM hatch garage on the C32?

 

[rogerthebodger]

I made a couple of hatch garage's from timber sides and a ply top.

1 was a timber frame, the 2nd had a steel immer frame.

I sheathed in strip iroko with sikaflex joints then sanded and varnished.

 

[Quandary]

If (in the conventional way,) the hatch garage is mostly in front of the sprayhood with a lip at the back I would be tempted to mould a box with a camber in polyester and matt, perhaps with space for solar panels on the top and a hardwood batten to weather the hood fixings across the back. Should be an easy first moulding project, mould box sides in softwood with the cambered top in thin ply then really big fillets to round the edges and corners formed in bodyfiller using a plastic shoe horn or a condensed milk tin. Check the size for the panel befre you start. Mine, (Moody) is just bedded down on butyl with 6 self tapping securing screws. It incorporates a dorade with a pair of Plastimo cowls.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I made a couple of hatch garage's from timber sides and a ply top.

1 was a timber frame, the 2nd had a steel immer frame.

I sheathed in strip iroko with sikaflex joints then sanded and varnished.

Looks great , but would be out of character with my AWB!

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

If (in the conventional way,) the hatch garage is mostly in front of the sprayhood with a lip at the back I would be tempted to mould a box with a camber in polyester and matt, perhaps with space for solar panels on the top and a hardwood batten to weather the hood fixings across the back. Should be an easy first moulding project, mould box sides in softwood with the cambered top in thin ply then really big fillets to round the edges and corners formed in bodyfiller using a plastic shoe horn or a condensed milk tin. Check the size for the panel befre you start. Mine, (Moody) is just bedded down on butyl with 6 self tapping securing screws. It incorporates a dorade with a pair of Plastimo cowls.

Sounds like the way to go. I suppose I could incorporate some strips of ply in the curved top for reinforcement. obviously careful measurement would be required, from the word "go".
If I were to try to take a mould of the anti-slip pattern on the existing coachroof does anyone have any words of advice on how to do this and how to incorporate it in the actual mould for the hatch garage?

 

[aslabend]

I followed this http://bristol29.com/Projects/seahood/seahood.htm and the result was good .

 

[Redfox226]

snip.. My reasoning is that in its current configuration there is nothing to attach the centre of the sprayhood to, and any water coming over the top would simply sluice underneath....snip

We have a hatch like yours on our Red Fox - the sprayhood has a length of bungee with hooks at either end through the bottom hem over the hatch. It fastens to the handles either side and holds the sprayhood quite tightly..

 

[Amulet]

Looks great , but would be out of character with my AWB!

I was about to send you a picture of the mahogany one I made, but I wont bother!

 

[Sniper]

I don’t have a hatch garage either but Dolphin sails/covers have a very neat design which allows the hatch to slide through a flap. Tension over the hatch is supported by a stainless tube. The craftsmanship is excellent.